UFC 170 Preliminary Recaps: Koch Impresses in LW Debut

UFC 170 kicked off with a two fight billing on UFC Fight Pass at the Mandalay Bay Event Center. The biggest standout in the early action saw former featherweight standout Erik Koch steamroll Rafaello Oliveira in his UFC lightweight debut.

Koch Blasts Oliveira

Erik Koch snapped a two-fight losing streak by moving to lightweight and hammering Rafaello Oliveira. Oliveira tried for the home run early by going for a jumping knee but Koch made him pay for the risk and put him down. The Brazilian desperately tried to recover but Koch kept the pressure up and got the finish.

Koch made it clear that he was at lightweight to stay after the fight, believing that his harsh weight cuts were to blame for his previous struggles at featherweight. On the other end of the spectrum, Oliveira has now gone 1-4 in his second UFC stint and will likely be cut after tonight’s loss.